Pillararene molecule can be used as biosensor to detect low-molecular-weight metabolite

A study conducted by researchers at Kanazawa University (Japan) reports on a molecule known as pillar[6]arene (P6A) that can form a host–guest compound with a cancer-associated metabolite, which can be used to detect the metabolite in crude biological samples. The team of researchers from Kanazawa University have developed a biosensor relying on the physiochemical properties of P6A for a low-molecular-weight metabolite known as one-Methylnicotinamide (1-MNA). Recently, this metabolite was discovered to present in higher levels in aggressive cancer cell lines. Metabolites also play a role in metabolic syndrome, a combination of conditions that occur simultaneously including diabetes, hypertension and obesity....